The NHL announced its Norris Trophy finalists today with the Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar once again featuring amongst the nominees for the award. Makar joins the Buffalo Sabres Rasmus Dahlin and Columbus Blue Jackets Zach Werenski in the Norris discussion.
Makar once again impressed this season, recording 20 goals and 59 assists for 79 points in 75 regular season games for the Avalanche. He has amassed four goals and one assist in six playoff games thus far.
Cale Makar Ties Historic Record
With this latest Norris nomination, Makar has made history. This is the sixth time in his first seven seasons that he has been nominated for the award. He joins Bobby Orr as the only other defenseman in history to accomplish this feat. Makar keeps making his case as one of the most gifted defensemen to ever play the game.
This is an incredible achievement for the 27-year old Canadian. This is the sixth consecutive season he has been chosen as one of the best defenseman in the league. The only year he has not been nominated for the Norris was his rookie campaign in the 2019-20 season. However, he did not leave with an empty trophy case as he took home the Calder for rookie of the year.
Makar’s Norris resume is impressive as he has won the award twice in his career (2022 and 2025). He is looking to make that three this summer.
Makar has won many awards outside of the Norris so far in his decorated tenure. He won the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP during Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup run.
Over the course of his 470 game regular season games with the Avalanche, Makar has registered 136 goals and 371 assists for 507 points. In the postseason, he has tallied 26 goals and 64 assists for 90 points in 85 games.
Makar Aiming to Lead Colorado to Stanley Cup
The Avalanche are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in this 2026 postseason, having headed into the playoffs with the President’s trophy as the best team in the regular season. Colorado has not won the Cup since the 2021-22 season.
The journey to the top has been successful so far as the team have not lost a game in the six games they have played thus far. Colorado easily handled the Los Angeles Kings with a straightforward round one sweep. And the Avalanche currently hold a 2-0 series lead vs the Minnesota Wild in round two.
This would appear to be Colorado’s year. This is an elite franchise on all fronts with no apparent weaknesses. It is easy to believe it is their championship to lose. However, history does not play in their favor as no President’s trophy team has won the Stanley Cup since the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks. There is plenty of hockey yet to be played.
Makar will work towards continuing to lead the way and play his part towards his team’s Cup aspirations. He has consistently been one of the best playoff performers for this group year after year and this one has been no different up to this point.
Cale Makar Makes History with Latest Norris Trophy Nomination